Depression decisions — 2008

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and depression, finding no new and material evidence to reopen his previous denial of a claim for narcolepsy. The Board also found that there was insufficient evidence linking the veteran's current depression to active service.

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder and assigned a 50 percent rating since May 9, 2005. The veteran's right ear hearing loss claim is denied as she does not currently have the required auditory threshold levels to meet VA criteria for hearing loss. For the period prior to May 9, 2005, the Board has granted a 30 percent rating based on occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining mental health records and scheduling a VA examination for the veteran's bilateral leg condition. The issues of service connection for both a bilateral leg condition and depression are still pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and a need for further examination. The veteran's claims for service connection for psychiatric disorders, including depressive disorder and bipolar disorder, as well as an eating disorder, are pending.

The Board found that the veteran's psychiatric disability, including major depression, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee degenerative joint disease, bilateral leg edema, thoracic spine arthritis, and a disability rating greater than 10 percent for asbestosis. The veteran's current psychiatric disorder is not service-connected.

The Board found that the veteran does not have PTSD attributable to his service and denied his claim for service connection.

From March 5, 2003, to April 12, 2006, the veteran's psychiatric disorder was productive of reduced reliability and productivity due to symptoms such as flattened affect, panic attacks more than once a week, difficulty understanding complex commands, impairment of short- and long-term memory, impaired judgment, and disturbances of motivation and mood.,Since April 13, 2006, the veteran's psychiatric disorder has been characterized by deficiencies in most areas due to symptoms such as suicidal ideation, obsessional rituals, speech intermittently illogical or irrelevant, near-continuous panic or depression affecting ability to function independently, impaired impulse control, spatial disorientation, neglect of personal appearance and hygiene, difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances, and inability to establish effective relationships.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD and major depression, heart disorder, hypertension, hiatal hernia, migraine headaches, and erectile dysfunction. The diagnoses were all linked to post-service stressors.

The veteran's service-connected depressive disorder was manifested by disturbances of mood and motivation, weight loss, difficulty sleeping, and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores ranging from 50 to 60. The VA examiner described less severe symptoms than the private providers, resulting in a 30 percent evaluation for this period.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including dizziness, bilateral hearing loss, gout, mood swings, defective vision, cramps and sweats, peripheral neuropathy of the extremities, hypertension, heart condition, shortness of breath, depression, memory loss, chronic fatigue syndrome, muscle and joint pains, sleep apnea, headaches, liver disorder, and high cholesterol. The claims were denied as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of February 21, 2003 for a 30 percent evaluation for his service-connected major depression with psychotic features. The decision found that there was no evidence of a factually ascertainable increase in disability prior to February 21, 2003.

The Board has determined that the veteran's post-traumatic stress disorder with depression was incurred during service due to military sexual trauma and childhood trauma, which exacerbated her pre-existing psychiatric disorders.

The Board has determined that the currently diagnosed major depressive disorder is at least as likely as not related to service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The veteran is seeking service connection for ear and jaw pain (TMJ dysfunction) and anxiety and depression, which he contends are related to his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus. The case has been remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records from the Social Security Administration.

The VA determined that the veteran's current psychiatric disabilities, including depression, were not incurred in or aggravated by his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diagnoses of PTSD, depression, and dysthymia are related to his service in Vietnam. Therefore, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted.

The veteran is granted an effective date of September 8, 2003 for the grant of service connection for depressive disorder not otherwise specified as secondary to a service-connected back disability.,The veteran is also granted an effective date of September 8, 2003 for the award of total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and verifying stressor events.

The evidence does not support a finding that the veteran's depression developed in service or is otherwise causally related to service.